Happosai's Departure
by KaraOhki
Summary: Happosai's departure should be a good thing. Shouldn't it?


Happosai's Departure

A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic by June "KaraOhki" Geraci

August 20, 2000

Revised September 21, 2000

Ranma 1/2 was invented and is owned by Rumiko Takahashi...her characters just wandered into my computer and got stuck. This story is for entertainment purposes only, and may not be used commercially

* * *

The rain poured down on the Tendo Dojo. Inside, the residents kept warm and dry.

Soun and Genma played one of their endless games while Nodoka sat nearby, knitting a sweater for Ranma. Ranma lay on the floor watching television, Akane beside him. Nabiki had watched them as they settled down, being careful to sit not too close, yet not too far from one other, and had smiled to no one in particular and headed upstairs.

It was much too noisy for anyone to hear Kasumi humming to herself as she washed the dinner dishes, yet Ranma picked up his head when his sharp ears caught something. He got up to investigate.

"Where are you going, Ranma?" asked Akane.

"There's somebody at the door."

Nodoka looked up. "Are you sure, dear?"

"Yeah." Ranma got to the door, and opened it. He immediately regretted that he had such good hearing. Happosai stood there in the dim light, soaking wet and shivering.

For a second, Ranma was tempted to close the door, but the forlorn expression on the old man's face was something he couldn't ignore. "Come in," he muttered as he stepped aside.

* * *

Happosai's face showed his amazement, then he quickly controlled himself. He had left the Tendo home a few days after the wedding disaster. He had always known that the Tendo and Saotome families didn't want him living there, but he'd ignored it. The coldness that radiated from everyone in the household after he drank the Jusenkyo water, however, had convinced him that there were other places to explore. If there had been another place for him to take refuge, he would have gone there, but he felt too terribly ill to even try.

"Kasumi! Can you bring some tea, please?"

That call from Ranma was enough to make Kasumi peek out of the kitchen curiously. The sight of Ranma and Akane wrapping blankets around a shivering Happosai was enough to send her into action. Within minutes she not only had the requested tea, but a hot meal. Happosai gratefully clutched the tea, taking small sips, and eyeing the food nervously.

"There's nothing cold there?"

"No, Grandfather. All of the food is hot."

Happosai ate about half of the food, and looked quite exhausted by the time he lay down his chopsticks. Ranma carried him to his bedroom, and put him down. The old man was still rather wet, and looked awfully weak.

"You-you sure you don't need help changing your clothes?"

"I can manage. Thank you for the offer." Happosai turned his back so that he wouldn't see the look of relief of Ranma's face, and began unbuttoning his shirt.

* * *

Happosai didn't come out of his room for breakfast. Kasumi decided he must be tired, and let him sleep. When he didn't come out for lunch, she began to worry, and went to look in on him. She emerged seconds later, pale and shaking. Soun looked at her as she approached the table and rose from the floor to support her.

"Daughter, what is wrong?"

"Happosai-he's dead!"

* * *

The funeral was small and quiet. No one but the immediate family and Cologne attended. It was quite unbelievable to all of them that the old man who had given them so much trouble was dead.

The funeral attendees went in two separate directions afterwards-Soun and Genma went to the nearest tavern to begin celebrating, while everyone else went home.

Kasumi took Ranma aside when they arrived at the house. "Ranma, I want you to do something for me."

"Yes?"

"Would you please go through Grandfather's things? I'm sure you would be able to decide what to throw away, and what should be kept."

Ranma nodded, but he looked a little nervous. "What about the underwear, Kasumi? I don't like the idea of...you know..."

"I'll help you," said Akane, who had come up behind Ranma. "You take care of everything else. Deal?"

"Deal!"

* * *

"I can't believe the old man stole so much of this! I guess we'd better toss it all out-there's no way we can find the owners."

Akane looked at the piles of bras and panties, overwhelmed. She got a trash bag, and began stuffing it full of Happosai's collection. Then she stopped.

"Hey, these are mine! So are these, and these! I'm going to wash them and put them back where they belong!"

Ranma looked at the small collection of undies that Akane had sent aside, trying not to be obvious about it. He glanced at Akane, who was busy stuffing the rest of the collection into the trash bag, and back at his fiancee's lingerie. They were...intriguing. Then he put his mind back on his business as Akane gathered up the trash bag and her own things and headed out of the room.

"I'll be right back," she said. "We might as well do the rest of the room together."

Ranma just nodded. This was the longest he'd been alone with Akane since the failed wedding without getting into a fight. That was fine with him. He still hadn't figured out a way of talking to her about what had happened that day.

He had sorted everything into piles, and decided to start with the journal they'd found in Happosai's coat pocket.

_ "I wish I hadn't touched that water. I'm sure it's the __cause of all this pain. Every time I drink anything __cold I can feel things moving around inside me. __Then if I have something hot, they shift again. What __I wouldn't give for a cold beer, but I can't take any __more pain-"_

Ranma stopped reading and put the book down. The Jusenkyo water killed Happosai? He couldn't believe it. He set the diary aside to read later, and started looking through a pile of scrolls. Most of them were in the old man's handwriting, which made them impossible to decipher, but he found an older one, brittle and faded, that he could make out. He began to read it, and stopped short, looking all around.

"Who's there?"

No one answered, and Ranma shrugged. "Must've been my imagination." He picked up the scroll, which he had dropped, and was still reading it when Akane came into the room.

* * *

"What are you doing, Ranma?"

"I found this old scroll. It's supposed to be about transferring power, so I'm trying to figure it out."

"Let me see!"

Akane leaned over Ranma's shoulder. She could read faster than he could, and was about three quarters of the way down the page when Ranma began reading aloud.

"...and allow the forces to merge..."

"Ranma, I don't think you should-"

A blinding flash of light surrounded Ranma, and faded as fast as it had appeared. Akane blinked. The room looked the same, and Ranma looked the same.

"What was that?"

"I dunno. I guess this thing isn't any good." Ranma set the scroll to one side and continued tossing the scrolls that he couldn't read into a trash bag. Akane sat beside him and began to help. She was trying to decipher one of them when she felt Ranma's hand on her knee.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Akane, look at me."

Akane put the scroll down. Ranma was looking at her in a way that made her rather nervous. Then he put down the papers he was holding, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her.

This was something she had been hoping Ranma would do for a long, long time. Akane had imagined what it would be like to be kissed by Ranma, but this didn't feel quite right. She'd thought he would be nervous. She'd thought he'd be...a little clumsy. This felt like he knew exactly what he was doing.

Then Akane felt a hand at her hip, pushing her skirt up. Ranma's lips left hers, and he spoke very softly.

"What color are those panties, Akane?"

"WHAT?" Akane pulled herself free, and backed up against the wall. "What did that scroll DO to you?"

The words from the scroll-"transfer of power," rang in her ears. Akane dove headfirst for the scroll, but Ranma was too fast for her.

"Not on your life, dearie!"

Ranma stuffed the scroll into his shirt and disappeared through the window.

* * *

Ukyo scrubbed at the bits of food on her grill. It had been a busy day, and she was tired. When the door opened she looked up with annoyance, which quickly vanished when she saw Ranma.

"Ranchan!"

"Ucchan!"

Ukyo only had a second to be surprised at Ranma's affectionate greeting-after all he had given her hell after the bombed wedding-before he had attached himself to her with arms and lips.

"Mmph!"

This felt good, very good, but Ukyo couldn't help feeling that something was very wrong. Why was Ranma kissing her, when it was obvious to her and everybody else who knew him that he loved Akane? Then her mental processes lost focus as her emotions and the physical pleasure of being kissed by Ranma overrode them. Ukyo didn't protest when Ranma pushed her against the wall and continued to kiss her, but when his hands started to roam she shivered, and opened her eyes. Ranma's eyes were open, and he was looking at her with what could only be termed as suspicion.

"Is something wrong?"

"I was about to ask you the same question."

Ranma leered at her. "Oh no, I haven't had this much fun in years."

Ukyo shivered again, and she had the uncomfortable feeling that every hair on her body was standing on end.

WHAM!

Ranma staggered back, holding his head. "What? Why did you do that?"

Ukyo waved her battle spatula at Ranma. "Who are you, and what have you done with my Ranma?" demanded Ukyo. For a second she was certain that she saw a look of regret on his face, and then his expression changed to a sneer before he headed for the door.

"There are plenty of other pretty ladies around! I'll find them instead!"

* * *

Akane ran outside, knowing it would be nearly impossible to catch Ranma. She was fast, but he was faster. Then she stopped, and picked something out of the grass. The scroll had fallen out of Ranma's shirt. She finished reading it, and ran on.

* * *

Shampoo was in heaven. Ranma had burst through the door of the Nekohanten and grabbed her, kissing her passionately. Considering how nasty her husband had been to her the last time she'd seen him, this was a welcome change. She threw her arms around him and returned the kiss enthusiastically.

"Shampoo always knew Husband would come to her. Only had to wait."

Ranma settled into a chair with Shampoo in his lap. He continued to kiss and caress her, and she responded in kind. She could feel him exploring her body with his hands, and welcomed his touch. Then Ranma broke the kiss, and grinned at her.

"You're not wearing any underwear, are you? I always knew you were a naughty girl."

Shampoo tore herself free of Ranma's grip and backed away several feet. Something was horribly wrong. Ranma advanced on her, holding out both hands, with a leer on his face that was familiar, although she could not place it.

"Great Grandmother! Help!"

Cologne burst into the room. "What is wrong, child?"

"Ranma! This not Ranma!" Shampoo watched as Cologne studied Ranma, sensing his aura.

"You are right, child. This is not Ranma."

* * *

Ranma fled.

'Help me. Somebody please help me!' thought Ranma as he struggled to re-take control of his body.

"Get down!" cried his voice-his voice, which was being used by Happosai. "I'm young and strong again. Soon you will be nothing but a memory."

Then he came across what he was looking for. Ladies. Lots and lots of pretty ladies.

"Sweeto!"

* * *

Akane ran on, following what was obviously Ranma's trail. She kept passing outraged women, who were holding down their skirts. Some of them were in tears, while others followed behind Akane, screaming for Ranma's blood. Then she found Ukyo, Shampoo, and Cologne.

"Have you seen Ranma?" Akane panted.

"You bet we have! We've got to help him!"

As they ran, Cologne got beside Akane. "What has he done, girl?"

"He read one of Happosai's scrolls aloud. I think he's possessed!"

"I believe you are right. The aura I felt was Happosai's, not Ranma's."

The four women ran on, following the trail of women Ranma left behind him. They rounded a corner and nearly ran down Yuka and Sayuri. Yuka was in tears, and Sayuri looked furious.

"You were right, Akane. You've been telling us for the longest time what a pervert your fiance is, and we didn't believe you."

"No he's NOT!" yelled Akane, causing her stunned friend to stare at her in confusion. "It's not Ranma's fault, honestly!"

Akane didn't stop long enough to explain herself, and her friends followed, curious to see why she was defending Ranma.

* * *

He was surrounded. More women than he'd bargained for encircled him, armed with anything they could lay their hands on. Blows rained down from all around.

Why was it that he could fight off any male attacker, but a mob of women always had their way with him?

Then the crowd parted, and Cologne stood there.

"Do you really think you can escape death, Happi? You've lived long enough. It is time to rest."

"NO! The boy was foolish enough to allow me in! Let him pay for that mistake!"

"Give me back my Ranma!"

Akane's voice from behind took him by surprise. So did the park bench she hit him with. Cologne, Ukyo and Shampoo held Ranma down as Akane pulled the scroll from her blouse and read the words that would reverse the process he had started.

"NO! NO!"

The girls watched, holding on tightly, as Ranma shook. Then they felt a surge of coldness as something rose from his body, and vanished. He opened his eyes and looked at them

"Thank you."

No one moved. They all looked at Cologne, who examined Ranma carefully.

"You can let go now. It's Ranma. Happosai is gone."

* * *

She took the scroll from Akane as she spoke, and touched it with one finger. It began to smolder, and was soon ashes.

"I would suggest that you go home, Ranma, and burn everything in Happosai's room. You may destroy some valuable things, but in the end I believe you'll be much better off."

Ranma just stared for a few seconds before nodding. "Yes. I will."

Akane walked Ranma home, holding his hand. She had offered it to him when he tried to get off the ground, and he hadn't let go afterward. The other girls had stepped aside and allowed them to pass.

They walked in silence for a long time. Then Ranma gathered his courage and looked at Akane.

"I'm sorry. I tried to stop him from kissing you, but he was too strong."

Akane dropped his hand.

"Does that mean you didn't want to kiss me?"

"NO!" Ranma stopped, and controlled his temper. "No. I do want to kiss you, but I didn't want that pervert to do it for me!"

"In that case, you'll have to try it yourself some time."

Akane looked at Ranma hopefully, but he simply took her hand and began to walk again.

"Yeah. Some day."

* * *

As always, your comments are welcome.


End file.
